Tweezers



July 11, 1939. w, L HEHQIG 2,165,374v

' TWEEZERS Filed Oct. 14, 1958 Patented July 11,v 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Q v 2,165,374 f .l

TWEEZERS William L. Heilig, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 14, 1938, Serial No. 234,949

7 claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in tweezers and has for one'purpose the provision of tweezers for picking up small articles, removing hair or the like.

One object is the provision of such tweezers in which, in response to the normal closing operation, a pair of opposed gripping members have imparted tothem a unitary sharp outward jerking movement.

Y Another purpose is the provision of improved trip meansfor such tweezers whereby, whenV a predetermined pressure is applied to the opposed tweezer members, they are jerked sharply back- Wardin relation to the tweezers handle as a whole.

Another purpose is the provision of improved means for guiding the movable tweezers members o f a tweezers assembly.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of the specication and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top View;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts in longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with the parts in closed position;

Fig.` 4`is a partial View similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the tweezers partsA in retracted position;

'Fig 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4; and l Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

" Like partsy are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and drawing.

Referring to the drawing, I and 2 indicate handle and actuating portions connected'together by a link or blockl 3 to which members I and 2 are pivoted as at 4 and 5, respectively. The members I and 2 are each provided with guide portions 6, 'I at the outer ends thereof, such guides forming passages 8 and 9 in which anti-frictional rollers I0 and areY positioned. I2 and I3 indicate abutment blocks having forward outwardly inclined abutment faces I4, I 5 and inner abutment faces I6, |'I,'the purpose of which will later appear.

' :I8 is a guide tube slidably mounted in a generally centrally located aperture I9 in the block or link 3. Itcontains a spring 20 securedat one end as at 2| in relation to van end of the guide if I8. This outer end of the guide I8 is pivoted to angular links 22 and 23, the'link 22 being pivoted at its opposite end to the side member I and the link 23 being pivoted Vat its opposite end to the side member 2. Thereby, the tube I8 is alined midway between the members I and 2 and slides the members I and 2 toward each other.

(Cl. 12S-354) slightly in the block 3 when the members I and 2 are moved toward or away from each other.

I illustrate vthe tweezers member proper as a spring element 'including opposed gripping ends 30 and 3| connected by aspring loop or coil 32 which maybe secured to the free end ofthe spring 2li. Normally, the loop 32 is thus held against the guide I8. Each gripping member 3U, 3| is provided with a shoulder 33, 34 adapted to be opposed to the abutment blocks I2, I3, respectively. The parts are sov proportioned that when the tweezers device is in the open position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, the shoulders 33v and 34 of the members 30 and 3| engage and are yieldingly drawnagainst the inclined abutment faces I4 and I5 of the blocks I2 and I3. The spring 20 serves to keep the parts in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 2. y

When the operator moves the left hand ends `of the members I and 2 toward each other, referring' to the position in which the parts are shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the first result is to'bri'ng the gripping members 3B'. and 3| together, as` shown in Fig. 3. In the course of this movement, the shoulders 33 and 34 move outwardly on the inclined faces|4 and I5 to the position in which they are shown in Fig. 3.

A slight additional compression exerted on the members I and 2 is sufficient then to trip the shoulders 33 and 34 and free them from the faces I4 and I5. The spring 20, which has meanwhile been somewhat expanded by the outward movement ofthe links 22 and 23, causes a sharp movement of the members 30 and 3|` tothe right, referring to `the positionV of the parts as'shown for example in Fig. 4.- 4This outward movement terminates as the shoulders 33 and 34 engage the abutment surfaces I6 and I1, this being the position in which the parts are shown in Fig. 4.

In using the tweezers, for example as a depilatory, the user simply grips a hair between the members 30 and 3| by pressing the outer ends of This serves to engage the hair with the tweezers members sufli'ciently firmly for withdrawal. A slight continued movement, without any outward jerk on the part of the operator, then serves to free l the shoulders 33 and 34 from the abutmentsv I4 Til have cleared the outer edge of the inclined faces I4 and I5, whereupon the parts assume the position in which they are shown in Fig. 2.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and illustrated a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts Without departing from the spirit of my invenm tion. I therefore wish my description and drawing to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to my precise showing.

I claim:

l. In a tweezers device, a pair of handle members movable toward and away from each other, a gripping assembly, including opposed gripping members, mounted one on each of said handle members, means for moving said gripping members together into gripping Contact in response to the movement of said handle members toward each other, means for normally holding said gripping members in extended position, and means for sharply retracting them after a predetermined approach toward each other of the handle members.

V2. In a tweezers device; a pair of handle members movable toward and away from each other, a gripping assembly, including opposed gripping members mounted one on each of said handle members, means for moving said gripping members together into gripping contact in response to the movement of said handle members toward each other, means for normally holding said gripping members in extended position, including abutment members on said handle members and opposed abutments associated with said gripping members, and means for sharply retracting said gripping members after a predetermined approach toward each other of the handle members.

3. In a tweezers device, a pair of handle members movable toward and away from each other, a gripping assembly, including opposed gripping members mounted one on each of said handle members, means for moving said gripping members together into gripping contact in response to the movement of said handle members toward each other, means for normally holding said gripping members in extended position, and means for sharply retracting them after a predetermined approach toward each other of the handle members, including spring means interposed between said handle members and said gripping members.

4. In a tweezers device, a pair ofrhandle members movable toward and away from each other,

a gripping assembly, including opposed gripping members mounted one on each of said handle members, means formoving said gripping members together into `gripping contact in response to the movement of said handle members toward each other, means for normally holding said gripping members in extended position, including abutment members on said handle members and opposed abutments associated with said gripping members, and means for sharply retracting said gripping members after a predetermined approach toward each other of the handle members, including spring means interposed between said handle members and said gripping members, said spring means being adapted normally to urge said abutments of said gripping members against said abutments of said handle members.

5. In a tweezers device, a pair of handle members movable toward and away from each other. a gripping assembly, including opposed gripping members mounted one on each of said handle members, means for moving said gripping members together into gripping contact in response to the movement of said handle members toward each other, means for normally holding said gripping members in extended position, including abutment members on said handle members and opposed abutments associated With said gripping members, and means for sharply retracting said gripping members after a predetermined approach toward each other of the handle members, including spring means interposed between said handle members and said gripping members, said spring means being adapted normally to urge said abutments of said gripping members against said abutments of said handle members, said gripping members being adapted to clear said handle abutment members in response to a predetermined movement of said handle members toward each other, whereby said spring means is released to retract said gripping members.

6. In a tweezers device, a pair of handle members, a connecting link interposed between themY each handle member being pivotally mounted upon said connecting link at a point intermediate the ends of the handle member, a guide member slidably mounted in said link, additional link connections between one end of said guide member and an end of each of said handle members, opposed gripping members slidably mounted in the ends of said handle members, abutment means interposed between said gripping members and said handle members, adapted to maintain them normally in extended position, spring means associated with said guide member and interposed between said gripping members and said handle members, adapted to urge said gripping members to retracted position, and means for releasing said gripping members for movement toward said retracted position, in response to a predetermined approach of said handle members.

7. In a tweezers device, a pair of handle members, a connecting link interposed between them, each handle member being pivotally mounted upon said connecting link at a point intermediate the ends of the handle'member, a guide member slidably mounted in said link, additional link connections between one end of said guide member and an end of each of said handle members, opposed gripping members slidably mounted in the ends of said handle members, abutment means interposed between said gripping members and said handle members, adapted to maintain them normally in extended position, spring means associated with said guide member and interposed between said gripping members and said handle members, adapted to urge said gripping members to retracted position, and means for releasing said gripping members for movement toward said retracted position, in response to a predetermined approach of said handle members, said releasing means being eiective afterA the gripping members have reached a gripping contact with each other.

WILLIAM L. HEILIG, 

